Safety of Home
by DancinAngel-love
Summary: When Grayson and Felicity are taken by two crooks wanting money, it's up to Adam, his brothers, and Pa to get his two youngest children back to the safety of home. Will they be able to save the two, or will Adam lose a child? And what does this have to do with his late wife Alice? And how does Adam know the crooks?
1. Chapter 1

This is a story that follows a few years after "A Father Alone." I might turn the stories into a series written in no specific order.

Disclaimer: I don not own Bonanza.

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"Get the brats." A man told the other man sitting on the horse next to him who nodded and pulled his horse out of the thickets up behind the three children going up the road. The first man who had spoken did the same but pulled his own horse out in front of the group. "Stop right there Cartwright's." The man spoke pulling out a pistol and pointing it at the kids. The oldest one, a boy who looked about eleven narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want?" He snapped in a childish voice, but a voice that still held a protective threat, as he pulled the reigns of his own horse to move in front of his siblings. The other man shook his head at the boy a wicked smile on his face. Before he nodded now not looking at the children, the oldest noticed and frowned confused turning around. When he did he noticed another man coming up behind his siblings and his eyes widened before he could say anything though he felt a rope go around his body and was pulled from the horse, hitting the ground rather hard getting the wind knocked out of him.

His horse wined and stomped his feet, and the oldest Cartwright boy coughed struggling onto his knees. "Daniel!" the voices of his siblings Grayson and Felicity both cried he heard one of them jump from their pony and guessed it to be Grayson. Looking up he heard a scream and both he and Grayson looked to see Felicity being jerked from her pony by the other man who set her own the ground before tying her hands up while she tried to pull away. Grayson changed course and took off at the man holding his sister, only to find him being tackled to the ground by the one who had roped Daniel.

"Not so fast boy." The man breathed into his ear before forcing his hands behind his back and straddling the boy to keep from being kicked. He managed to tie the boy's hands before also tying his feet. Standing up the man picked the seconded oldest child up and throw him toward the man holding Felicity. "Take them and wait for me at the camp." He snapped getting a nod from the other.

The other man went to pick the youngest to up but ended up being kicked in the gut by the girl and the boy spit in his face. It didn't take him long to recover before he took out his pistol and cracked boy on the back of the head.

"Let them go!" A voice called and both adults looked to the still roped Daniel who was kneeling where he had fallen. Giving a chuckle the man who roped him, the one who appeared to be the ring leader nodded to the other man before walking over to Daniel.

"Now why would we do that Cartwright?" He asked kneeling reaching his hand down to tilt the boys head up. Daniel glared at him, his head was bleeding slightly from the fall and he looked ready to pass out, yet there was a determination in his eyes that seemed to keep him from doing so. "You're pathetic." The man said when the boy gave no answer. "Just like your father." The man smirked before his eyes widen a small scream escaped his mouth as Daniel's teeth latched onto his hand.

Jerking his hand out of the boy's mouth, he back handed him sending him flying into the ground. "Get the two brats out of here. I'll catch up." He growled at his partner who nodded and left with the youngest of the three children, both knocked out cold and thrown over his saddle in front of him.

When he was gone the leader of the two turned back to Daniel who was trying to get back up, the man reached forward jerking the boy up to face him. "You're lucky I don't kill you. But I need you to deliver a message to your father and family." He smirked while Daniel glared before like his younger brother he spit in the man's face.

"Forget it." Daniel growled glaring at the man holding him up. The man in response reached up whipping the spit from his face before hitting the boy in the gut dropping him to the ground.

"Then I guess you'll die, along with the other two brats." The man answered calmly kicking the fallen boy in the gut, before following it with a punch to his head. The young boy giving a yelp with each one, "Is that what you want?' He asks pulling the boy up once more he was gasping a bit and blood was trickling from his nose. "Well?" The man asked pulling out a knife and pressing it to the boys throat, a small bit of blood trickling down across the metal. The boy swallowed slightly breathing heavily and shook his head. "Aloud if you don't mind," The man growled, pressing the knife a bit harder against his neck before lowering it slightly.

Daniel glared at him though his face was a mix of pain and anger. "No." He managed, swallowing his pride as he felt rather humiliated, even if it was suspected for the boy to lose to an adult. The man smirked as he watched the young Cartwright fight to give the answer, and figured his pride was wounded, it reminded him of any Cartwright he seen, and he had a feeling the boy was a lot like his father.

"No what boy?", surely your pa taught you manners boy." He smirked aiming to knock his pride down further.

Daniel averted his eyes looking at the ground. "No sir." He said after moments, he then heard a chuckle and was thrown to the ground. "Good, then listen up, I'll only say this once." The man stood up and stared down at the boy twirling the knife in his hand. "Tell you father I want $5000 dollars apiece for one of his children, he decides which one goes free." The man chuckled at the boy's horrified expression. "He has to send you with the money alone at the end of the week on Friday at noon. At the south end of Lake Tahoe It'll take about a day's ride so I suggest you leave by Thursday." He smirked kneeling in front of the boy. "Then I'll tell you how your father can get the other one back. If he doesn't follow the planes though I will know, and so will my partner, one mistake and he may just lose a kid.

Daniel nodded and the man swooped the knife down cutting the rope along with a rather deep cut into the boys arm as he didn't care to pay attention, he earned a wince from the boy as he stood up. "And Cartwright, don't forget." He said before sending his pistol down on the boys head knocking him out.

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Let me know if I should continue.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don not own Bonanza. Or any canon characters of the show.

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The sound of a horse running into the yard drew Adam from his paperwork and to the door, he knew it couldn't be one of his children, after all he had told them no racing. Shaking his head Adam pulled the door open only to be consumed with worry as his oldest sons horse came to a stop. Things only got worse as he noticed Daniel was knocked out and tied to the saddle by his hands to the saddle horn. And his youngest too and their ponies were nowhere to be seen.

His body responding before his mind Adam found himself by the horse quickly untying his boy's hands and pulling him down from the horse. He held him close to his chest looking at him in worry. "Samson." Adam called his voice mixed with calm and worry. "Ride to the ponderosa and get Pa. Jake, get doc." Both men nodded to Adam and went too their horses without a word, each understanding the circumstance. Though the oldest man, Samson looked back I worry, he had watched young Adam grow up, and now was getting to watch his kids, and it affected the man's hearts greatly in worry for the family.

"Bless you cartwright.' Samson murmured before riding towards Ben's house, following Jake only for a little while.

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Adams POV

I carried Daniel inside, kicking the door closed behind me as I laid him on the Sofa, before running off to the kitchen to retrieve a cloth and warm some water, I was inpatient and the water wasn't warming fast enough, I found myself glancing in worry back to the room before I felt a hand rest on my back. Turning I noticed it was the last hand that was still on this part of the ponderosa who was helping me out. He was a younger man, younger than me but he pushed me aside and nodded towards the living area. I paused hesitantly before nodding. "Thank you Sam." He nodded giving a small smile before watching the water. And I returned to the living room. I had to thank Sam again later.

Returning to my son I kneeled back down next to him, one of my hands reaching out and stroking through his hair while I watched him. I noticed soon there was dried blood on the back of his head and still a bit trickling and that grew in my worries. Carefully I started checking him over and noticed bruises all along the exposed skin, and even a minor cut on his neck. Had someone tried to slit his throat?

"God help my son." I murmured resting my head on the couch next to him closing my eyes. I remained there one hand resting in his hair, the other on his stomach, I could feel the rise and fall of his breaths, and it reassured me that he was alive, and I hadn't lost him as I feared I did the other two.

Soon the door flew open and I jumped up my hand pulling my pistol out of its holster and pointing it at the intruder who shouted. "Whoa there Adam easy," A familiar voice called, I soon realized I had a gun pointed right at Hoss, behind him was doc Jared, followed by Beth, Pa and Joe each one watching me a bit worried. I slowly lowered my gun then released it, I heard it hit the floor with a thump but didn't move to pick it up. I had nearly shot my brother, and the others. And I knew then, I was afraid. Afraid it was someone about to hurt my son again.

I felt a hand on my back before I was led to a chair by the gentle hand of my Ps, while Doc Jared went straight to Daniel in a hurry checking him over Beth by his side.

"What in tarnation's happened Adam?" Beth asks turning around to face me moving out of Doc Jared's way until he needed her. I swallowed.

"I don't know, he rode into the yard unconscious and tied to his horse… just the way he is… and without his siblings." I managed out which made me jump up and head for the door. I was stopped by Pa though placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Hold on now Son." He said. "Daniel needs you when he wakes up, I know you want to find them, but you wait here with the doc. me and the boys will ride out and search the ponderosa and town." He reasoned I went to argue but remained silent falling back into my chair and burying my face into my hands. I had to trust them, and I knew Pa was right Daniel would need me, and he would be able to tell me what happened. I had to wait.

"Alright Pa," I answered.

I watched in silence as Pa, Adam, and Hoss left as quickly as they came, in search for Felicity, and Grayson. Something I wanted to be doing, I felt torn in want of going with them, and of staying with Daniel. "God please don't take my children, not yet." I whispered a silent prayer to the heavens.

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Hope you all enjoyed, let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don not own Bonanza. Or any canon characters of the show.

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A POV

"Pa…. Papa?" A young voice called deliriously, before becoming a bit panicked. "Pa, their gone… Papa… I couldn't protect them…" I raised my head staring at my oldest son. His eyes were pressed closed and a tear escaped from the closed lids trailing down his cheek. "It was my job as the oldest…" Moving then I sat on the side edge of the sofa, placing a hand on his forehead.

"Daniel, you did what you could son, tell me what all happened… that's how you can protect them, help them. Tell me so we can get them back son." I said softly holding back my own tears, and fears. Daniel finally opened his eyes looking up at me sadly before closing his eyes once more.

"He rode in front of us, stopping us from heading on to the house, I was focused on him I didn't notice the other man come up from behind… When I did I couldn't do anything, the first man roped me, took me off my horse. Grayson was going to help me, but the other man took hold of Felicity…' Daniel swallowed before speaking once more. "He went back to help her, I had hope Grayson would be able to, but the one who roped me tackled him… Pa I couldn't get up."

"Who were they son?" I asked the anger returning, Daniel shook his head staring at me a bit pitifully.

"I don't know pa… they said they knew you…" He trailed off a frown on his face, while tears streaked down his cheek. "Pa they said you have to pay them $5000 for both of them but you can only have one back." He said looking down his whole body shaking. He told me what all happened.

I held Daniel as he cried something I rarely saw my boy do. The whole time I promised everything would be okay, we would get his siblings back, I promised until he fell asleep.

Now I knew where to go, I just had to figure out how to do it without anything happening to one of the kids. This must have been how Pa felt every time something happened to one of his children, the dear, anger… even the hatred.

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This is really short but for reaosn I suppose, hope the next update will be soon but no promises, and also tell me what you think, I honestly don't really like this chapter I feel like I potrayed Adam poorly in it.


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